Ticket issuing machines for totalisator systems

ABSTRACT

A plurality of storing keyboard operated ticket issuing machines provide for establishing betting transactions in conjunction with central equipment which is time shared. Provisions are made for multiple betting operations such as Quinella. Special interlocks provide for retaining the keyboard status until a complete transaction is processed, and to lock out the keyboards when the race is started.

United States Patent Inventor Leslie T. J. Streets High Wycombe, EnglandAppl. No. 734,120 Filed June 3, 1968 Patented July 13, 1971 AssigneeBell Punch Company Limited London, England Priority June 7, 1967 GreatBritain 26243/67 TICKET ISSUING MACHINES FOR TOTALISATOR SYSTEMS 12Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 340/1725, 235/92 Int. Cl 606i 15/28, G06f 15/28 Field of Search340/ 1 72.5; 235115192 I i I I l [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,034,714 5/1962 Helselet al. 235/92 X 3,124,674 3/1964Edwardset a1. 340/1725 X 3,252,149 5/1966 Weida et al 340/1725 3,327.2926/1967 Eriksson et al. 340/1725 Primary Examiner- Paul J. HenonAssistant Examiner-Sydney Chirlin Atlorney Laurence R. Brown Pun asPATENTEU Juualsm 3.593; 303

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a i I PATENTED JUL 1 3 Ian SHEEI 3 [IF 4 TICKET ISSUING MACHINES FORTOTALISATOR SYSTEMS This invention has reference to ticket issuingmachines for totalizator systems and to totalizator systems embodyingsuch ticket issuing machines.

Totalizator systems are installed for example on race courses to enablebetting transactions to be efiected. These systems include a totalizatorcentral mechanism and a plurality of ticket issuing machines withinterconnecting electric cir cuits between the central mechanism andeach ticket issuing machine. The ticket issuing machines are disposed ata plurality of different locations, for example in a number of boothsand each ticket issuing machine is arranged to issue a ticket on whichis printed details of the bet transacted. In the Specification of ourBritish Pat. No. 868,489 there is described a ticket issuing machinewhich prints 3 ticket bearing data related to a combination of twocontestants a single race in two separate phases, issuance of the tickettaking place after the second printing phase is completed. Such a ticketissuing machine is useful in recording forecast bets, that is to say,bets in which it is required that the winner and second runner shall beforecast in the correct order. Furthermore, the machine is useful torecord Quinella bets; that is to say, a bet in which the winner andsecond runner are forecast in any order. Furthermore it can also recordfield bets, which are bets in which a single runner is selected and thisrunner is coupled with all the other runners in a forecast event. Insuch a machine it is required that details of a selected first runnershall be set up in the ticket issuing machine so that this informationmay be stored, so that these details have been passed to the centralequipment when the equipment is ready to receive the information. It isalso required that details of the other runner and/or other informationrelating to that bet have also been passed to the central equipmentbefore a ticket is issued to make best use of the time of the controlequipment.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved ticket issuing machine with provision for storing informationand passing such information to the central control mechanism as isrequired.

It is another object of the invention to provide a totalizator system inwhich a ticket is not issued until details of the bet have been recordedin the central equipment.

According to one aspect of the present invention a ticket is suingmachine comprises a keyboard; a printing device operable under thecontrol of the keyboard to print on a ticket details of two selectionsmade; ticket details of the first selection made; means to call acentral equipment and when the central equipment is available totransmit details of the first and second selections made to the centralequipment; and means to delay operation of the printing device until thedetails of the two selections have been recorded on the centralequipment.

According to another aspect of the present invention a totalizatorsystem comprises a plurality of ticket issuing machines and a centralequipment; each ticket issuing machine having a keyboard and a printingdevice operable under the control of the keyboard tw print details oftwo selections made; means to issue the printed ticket and means to callthe central equipment; the central equipment having scanning means toscan the ticket issuing machines; means to sense when a call has beenreceived from a ticket issuing machine; means to record details of theselections made and transmitted from a selected ticket issuing machine;and means to delay completion of the printing operation by the printingdevice until details of the two selections have been recorded at thecentral equipment.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying drawings, where:

FIG. I is a view of a ticket issued by the machine;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a ticket issuing machine and controlequipment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of operation of thetotalizator system;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the electrical circuit of the ticket issuingmachine, and

FIGS. 5 8t 6 are electrical circuit diagrams ofa safety circuit embodiedin the machine.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a ticket issued bythe machine. This ticket includes a pair of marginal portions I, inwhich may be printed advertising or descriptive matter. The middle partof the ticket is divided up into areas 2. The first area In contains acode re ated to the type of bet to be laid, the second area 2!: relatesto the number of the race on which the bet is to be laid and furtherareas 2c, 2d provides areas in which the numbers of the selected runnersare printed. The area 2c is arranged to contain information as to thekind of ticket being issued or may refer to the daily code. Thus, asshown, it may be implied that the ticket is being issued as a test;alternatively information may be printed thereon to indicate the date ofthe bet being transacted. A further area If is used to indicate thevalue of the bet being recorded. The area 2g may contain a code number,for example the number of the ticket machine issuing the ticket or itmay contain a serial number printed on the ticket.

Referring to FIG. 2 there is shown in block form a representation of theticket issuing machine and also in block form a representation of thecentral equipment. It will be apparent that each central equipment isassociated with a plurality of, say 20, ticket issuing machines whichare connected in parallel and which are scanned in sequence. The ticketissuing machine 3 includes a keyboard 4 which is connected to a con trolcircuit 5 arranged to pass it .ngnal to the central equipment 9 toensure that details ofa bet are ready to be recorded at the centralequipment. A connection is also made from the keyboard 4 to a codingcircuit 6 to convert the number of the key selected (and hence thenumber of the runner) into binary form and this binary circuit has twooutputs, first to a first selection store 7 and to the central equipment9. There is also a connection from the first selection store 7 to thecentral equipment. A return connection is also made from the centralequipment to the first selection store 7 and from the second selectionconnection to the central equipment. This is arranged so that details ofa second selection made can be recorded in the central equipment 9. Afurther connection is made from the central equipment 9 to interlock 8in the ticket issuing machine to give permission to the ticket issuingmachine to complete the printing and issuing of the ticket so that theticket bears details of the bet recorded when the bet is recorded at thecentral equipment.

The central equipment includes a machine scanning circuit 9a, indicationand control panels 10, as well as data processing circuits II. Themachine scanning circuit is connected to the first selection store 7 andthe binary circuit 6 and also receives applications for acceptancesignals from the keys. The other connections are made to and from thedata processing circuits. The central equipment also includes a tapepunch unit 12 connected to the data processing circuit II as well astesting circuits I3. A manual tape punch control 14 is connected to thetape punch unit 12, for example to enable the tape for punching to belocated in the machine.

Referring to the sequence of operation as illustrated in FIG. 3 of thedrawings, the ticket issuing machine is shown at 3 and this is connectedto the machine scanning circuit 9 in the central equipment which circuitscans the ticket machines in turn to ascertain whether the ticketissuing machine requires to record details of the bet to be transacted.When it is required to record a bet the ticket issuing machine sends outa signal indicated at 20 to the ticket issuing machine scanner 9. Whenthe scanner senses that this signal has been received it sends out anacceptance signal 21 to the ticket issuing machine so that the ticketissuing machine can transmit details of the bet to be transacted.Details of the bet accepted are passed along the line 21 to a paritycheck circuit 210 which checks details of the bet with knowninformation. For example, it checks if a bet is not allowable because itis laid on a nonrunner. If in fact a bet is laid on a nonrunner a signalwill be sent out along the line 23 to invalidate the bet. If the bet isnot void the signal is sent to the punch operate circuits 24 and thesepunch operate circuits send a signal to the tape punch 25 to set up thetape punch 25 to punch the details of the bet laid in binary code. Thetape punch in turn sends out a signal to the odds and evens parity checkcircuit 26. A signal is also sent to the parity checking circuit 26 fromthe punch operate circuit 24 so that if there is any discrepancy betweenthese two signals received. the tape punch is not allowed to operate. insuch a case a nonoperate signal is sent to the tape punch. When detailsof the bet have been set up on the tape punch 25 a signal is passedalong a line 27 to the mechanism 8 in the ticket issuing machine givingthe ticket issuing machine permission to complete the printing of theticket.

Referring to FIG. 4 of the drawings, there is shown a bank of switches30. Each of these switches 30 is associated with a respective key of thekeyboard 4 of the ticket issuing machine 3. As shown, there are 30switches l30 and each switch represents the number of a runner in afield of runners. The bank of keys is in two parts and includes a firstset of contacts 31, a selected one of which is closed when a respectivekey is depressed and a second series of contacts 32, a selected one ofwhich is opened when the respective key is depressed. Thus, ondepression of a key representing the runner 6, the switch 31 associatedwith the sixth key 6 is closed and the switch 32 associated with thesixth key 6 is open. The switches 32 are connected in series andconnected in the circuit of a relay 60 to be hereinafter described.

Each switch of the bank of switches 31 is connected to one or morebinary code lines 33 through diodes 330 so arranged that depression ofone of the keys 30 will cause a signal to be passed along one or more ofthe lines 33 representative of the number of that key in binary code.Thus, the first binary code line of the binary code switch 33 representsthe number 1, the second binary code line represents the number 2, thethird binary code line represents the number 4, the fourth binary codeline represents the number 8 and the fifth binary code line representsthe number 16. Thus, for example, if the key 13 is depressed this keycauses a circuit to be made to the line representing the number 13 andthrough this line to the first binary code line of the binary circuitrepresenting the number 1 to the third binary code line representing thenumber 4 and the fourth binary code line of the binary circuitrepresenting the number 8. These three numbers, l, 4 and 8 added upenumerate the number l3. The binary code lines 33 are each connected toa respective relay 34 through a respective chan geover switch 35 andeach relay 34 has associated with it a respective holdon switch 36 soarranged that when the appropriate relay is energized the holdon circuitis made. The relays 34 also close respective switches 37 connected inthe first leg lines 38. These first leg lines 38 are connected to thetotalizator central equipment.

The Switches 35 in the first position as shown make a connection betweenthe binary code lines 33 and the relays 34. In their other positionsthey make an appropriate connection to the second leg lines 39. Theswitches 35 are operated by a relay 42 to be hereinafter described.

in addition to the keys 30 representing the runners l-30 there is alsoincluded an additional key F representing all the runners the field andrelated to a field bet. This F Key is connected to all five of thebinary code lines 33 and hence to each of the relays 34.

A parity check binary circuit line 33b is included and is connected toselected contacts of the switches 30. The selected contacts are thosewhose numbers have an even number of positive binary connections(sometimes referred to as MARKS" to differentiate from spaces). Thus thecontacts representing the numbers i and 2 (which are representedrespectively by positive connections to the single lines representingthe numbers 1 and 2 respectively) and which have only a single positivebinary connections and not connected to the line 33b. On the other handthe contacts representing the number 3 (which is represented by positiveconnections to the line representing the numbers l and 2 and hence havean even number of positive connections) is connected to the line 3311.Similarly the contacts representing the numbers 5, 6, 9, l0, l2, l5. l7,18, 20, 23, 24, 27, 29. 30 (each having either two or four positivebinary connections) are each connected to the line 33b.

The line 33b is connected to relay contacts 33(c) which contacts arealso operated by the relay 42. The first relay contact 33c is connectedto a relay 6! with a holdon contact 62. This relay 61 has a pair ofcontacts 630 in the first leg lines 38. The second relay contact 33c isconnected to one of the second leg lines 39.

A parity check circuit is included in the central equipment 9 in thatthe binary code lines have connections from their even number positivebinary connections to a check line.

This circuit is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Referring to FIG. 5, each of thefirst leg lines 38 to be connected to a respective relay and each relayhas corresponding sets of contacts operated by that relay. Thus thefirst line of the first leg lines 38 operates the set contacts 71a, thesecond line operates the set of contacts 720 etcetera up to the sixthline of the first leg lines 38 which operates the set of contacts 764.Similarly each of the second leg lines 39 is connected to a respectiverelay and each relay actuates a corresponding bet of electrical contacts. Thus the first line operates a pair of contacts 71b, the secondline operates a pair of contacts 72b etcetera with the sixth lineoperating the contacts 76b. Each set of contacts 71a-76a and 'Ilb-- 76bconsist of two moveable contacts each connected alternatively betweentwo fixed contacts. The normally engaged contact of one part of each setis connected to the normally disengaged contact of the other part of theset. Similarly the other engaged contact of the other part of the set isconnected to the normally disengaged contact of the one part. Theconnection from the two connections of each pair of contacts isconnected respectively to a moving contact of the next pair of contacts,actuated by the next line of the leg lines 38 or 39. Thus the respectivefixed pairs of contacts of the set of contacts 710 are connected to themoveable contacts of the set of contacts 720.

The pairs of fixed contacts of the set of contacts 76a are connected toa respective relay ofa pair of relays 77c and 77:. Similarly the pairsof fixed contacts of the set of contacts 76b are connected to arespective relay of a pair of relays 78c and 77e.

The contacts 76a, 76b are actuated by a respective relay connected tothe sixth line of the first leg lines 38 and second leg lines 39respectively, and this sixth line is connected from the line 33b. itwill be apparent that if an odd pair of positive binary connections aremade to the first five lines of the leg lines 38 or 39 no connection ismade to the sixth line. On the other hand if an even pair of positiveconnections are made to the first five lines of the leg lines 38 or 39 apositive connection is made to the sixth line. The contacts 71a to 750and 71b to 75b are connected in the circuit in such a way with therespective contacts 76a, 76b so that if the contacts 760 are even whenthe contacts 71a to 750 are even a circuit is made to the relay 77c. Ifthe contacts 764 are odd when the contacts 710 to 750 are odd a circuitis also made to the relay 77c. On the other hand if the contacts 76adisagree with the contacts 71:: to 75b the relay 77 will operatelikewise if the contacts 76!: agree with the contacts 71b to 75b therelay 77: will operate whereas if the contacts 76b disagree with thecontacts 71b to 75b the relay 772 will operate. If the totalizatorsystem is operating properly the contacts 76a, 76b will agree with thecontacts 71a to 750 or 71b to 75b respectively. However if there is ashort circuit or a break in one of the leg lines 38, 39 this will causethe relay 77c to operate at some conditions of the switches 30. As shownin FIG. 6 the contacts 01 and 02 of the relays 77: are connected inseries with the 0K. BAT circuit and the contacts El. E2 of the relays Weare connected in parallel with a NonRunner Relay. This will cause thenonrunner circuit in the Totalizator system to be operated when a faultin the electrical system is detected, and cause a bet not to bevalidated.

A switch 40 is closed when any of the keys of the keyboard 3 associatedwith one of the switches 30 is depressed. The switch 40 is connected inseries with a microswitch 41 connected to the printing mechanism of theticket printing machine which is only closed in the first printingcycle. That is to say, during the printing operation when details of thefirst selection is printed on the ticket. The relay 42 (shown in twoparts in the drawings) is connected in series with the switches 40, 41so that it will be energized only during the first printing cycleoperation if this relay changes over the contacts 35 and 330. Alsoconnected in this circuit is a change over switch 43 which is alsooperated by the relay 42 to change over after one revolution of theprinting machine. One of the contacts of this switch 43 is connected tothe starter magnet 44 which effects the operation of the switch 45 tostart the setter 46 and effect one revolution of the motor to effect theprinting of the details of the first selected runner and certain otherinformation. The printing mechanism is more fu;., described in theSpecification of our US. Pat. No. 868469. Switches -"l and 4] are alsoconnected in a circuit to the relay 46 which has contacts 46 (1), 46(2),46(3), The contacts 46(2) are connected in line to the totalizatorcontrol equipment and this serves to pass a signal to the totalizatorcontrol equipment to make application to the central equipment to recorda bet, details of which are also being recorded by the ticket issuingmachine. A second contact 46(1) is connected in a line to the centralequipment so as to be ready to receive the signal from the centralequipment to the effect that a signal has been accepted and is ready toreceive details of the bet transacted. When this signal is receivedalong the line 46(1) the signal is passed through the selected contactsof the switch 37 to the first leg lines 38 depending on which of therelays 36 have been closed in dependence on the number of the firstrunner selected. Thereby, a signal is sent out along the first leg lines38. A check signal is also sent along the line 33b to the contacts 33cand to the relay 6! which closes a holdon contact 61 and another contact63a (if appropriate) to make a circuit in the last line of the first leglines 38. Thus, if a runner No. 13 has been selected the switches 37(1)representing 1, 37(4) representing 4 and 47(8) representing 8 are closedso that a signal representing the number 13 is passed along the lines38. No signal is sent along the check circuit line of the first leglines 38. The keys of the keyboard 3 when selected are latched down andmeans are provided to release these keys when details of the runnersselected have been recorded in the central equipment. When details ofthe first runner have been recorded, details of the second runner areset up by depressing the appropriate number on the keyboard 30 andbecause the switches 35 have been changed over by the relay 42, thisserves to effect the passage of the signals along the lines 39 independence with the second key depressed, by the second selection on thekeyboard 30. A relay 48 is included to be operated when details of thefirst and second runners have been recorded at the central equipment, byhaving a signal passed along line 47 to the said relay 48 which is thenoperated. Operation of the relay 48 closes the contacts 48(1), 48(2) andopens the contact 48(3). Contact 48( 2) serves as a hold on theconnection for the relay 48 and the switch 48(2) causes a connection tobe made to the starting magnet 44 to operate the motor 46 and effect asecond printing of the ticket so that details of the second runner aswell as the other remaining details, can be printed on the ticket. Itwill be noted that this operation does not take effect until the returnpulse has been returned from the central equipment indicating thatdetails of the bet transaction have already been recorded at the centralequipment. The relay 50 is operated by the closure of the contact 51 ofthe relay 52. This relay S2 is connected in circuit from the centralequipment through which a signal is supplied when a runner is selectedwhich is a nonrunner for a particular race selected. Thus, if the Number13 is selected by operation of the keyboard and there is no runner inthat particular race for the number 13, the signal will be sent alongthe line to the relay 52. A further relay 53 is provided to receivepulses from the central equipment when the race is declared understarters orders. This relay constitutes an opposed coil to the relay 54connected in series with the contacts 55 ofa void key and in series withcontacts 56 ofa test ey. Thus, if a first runner is selected before therace starts without a second runner having been selected, the machinewill not be permitted to operate further until the VOiL -;ey isdepressed and a void ticket issued.

A relay 60 is included to operate in tne case where one of the keys 32has inadvertently become j: .nmed. If this were to happen there would bean incorrect signal applied to the lines 38 or 39. If one of the keys isjammed down the appropriate contact 32 would be opened and this wouldoperate the relay 60 to operate the contact 61 as well as to open thecontact 63. Operation of the contact 63 would cause the relay (which isoperated when a nonrunner is selected) to be operated and by this meansthe bet is declared void and the machine will not operate further untilthe void key is depressed and the void ticket issued. A lamp 64 inparallel with the relay 46 will be lit at the time when the centralequipment has been called but has not yet answered. Likewise a differentcolored lamp 64 is lit during operation of the starting magnet, that isto say during issuance ofa ticket.

Certain other Sflf"gufitd8 are included in the machine. For example, asensing switch is incorporated to operate in conjunction with the papersupply so that the machine will not operate when there is no paperavailable for printing in the ticket issuing machine.

lclaim:

l. A totalizator system including central equipment and a plurality ofticket issuing machines each comprising a keyboard, a printing deviceoperable under the control of the keyboard with a mechanism to print ona ticket details of two selections made, ticket issuing means to issuethe printed ticket, means storing the first selection of the bet at theticket issuing machine, means to call said central equipment in responseto completion of said two selections, means to transmit details of firstand second selections of a bet made from said keyboard to the centralequipment at one time as a combined two bet combination signal when thecentral equipment is available, and means to delay completion of theprinting of the second bet on the ticket until said combination signalhas been processed by said central equipment.

2 A totalizator system as defined in claim 1 including indicating meanscontroilable by said central equipment to increate to the ticket issuingmachine that an invalid first or second selection has been transmittedto and rejected by the central equipment, means controlled by theindicating means to allow the operation of the printing mechanism toissue an invalid ticket printed with an invalid first selection, meansto operate the printing mechanism to print the second selection onto theticket if the first and second selections transmitted to thc antralequipment are valid, and means to issue the ticket printed with thefirst and second selections when the second selection is printedthereon.

3. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 1, wherein the ticketissuing machine comprises first leg lines from the storage means fortransmission of the stored first selection to the central equipment andsecond leg lines for transmission of the second selection to the centralequipment from said keyboard.

4. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 3, wherein the ticketissuing machine further comprises control means to connect alternatelythe first leg lines to the storage means for transmission of the storedfirst selection and the second leg lines to the keyboard fortransmission of the second selection.

5. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 4, wherein the ticketissuing machine further comprises means to convert a selection at saidkeyboard into binary code signals and means to generate a parity checksignal which is transmitted with the binary code signals to the centralequipment.

6. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 5, wherein the convertingmeans comprises a diode matrix, and wherein the generating meanscomprises a diode matrix.

7. A totalizator system of the type wherein a central equipment isconnected with a plurality of ticket issuing machines, wherein eachticket issuing machine has a keyboard to make a selection from aplurality of selections, a printing mechanism for printing onto a ticketa first selection. means for storing the first selection, means toindicate to the central equipment that a first selection and a secondselection have been made. means operable by the central equipment totransmit the first selection and the second selection thereto,indicating means controllable by the central equipment to indicate tothe ticket issuing machine that an invalid first selection or secondselection has been transmitted to and rejected by the central equipment,means controlled by the indicating means to allow the operation of theprinting mechanism to issue an invalid ticket printed with an invalidfirst selection. means to operate the printing mechanism to print thesecond selection onto the ticket if the first and second selectionstransmitted to the central equipment are valid and means to issue theticket printed with the first and second selections, when the secondselection has been printed thereon; and wherein the central equipmenthas means to scan sequentially the ticket issuing machines forindication that a first and second selection has been made, means toreceive an indicated made selection from a scanned one of said ticketissuing machine means to check the made selection transmitted from thescanned ticket issuing machine and to operate the indicating means ofthe scanned ticket issuing machine if an invalid selection has beentransmitted, means to record details of a valid first selection andsecond selection and means to operate the printing mechanism of thescanned ticket issuing machine and to issue a ticket with the first andsecond selections printed thereon, when the recording means has recordeddetails of the first and second selections.

8. A totalizator system according to claim 7. wherein the ticket issuingmachine further comprises first leg lines associated with the storagemeans for transmission of the stored first selection to the centralequipment and second leg lines for transmission of the second selectionto the central equipment.

9. A totalizator system according to claim 8, wherein the ticket issuingmachine further comprises control means to connect alternately the firstleg lines to the storage means for transmission of the stored firstselection and the second leg lines to the keyboard for transmission ofthe second selection.

[0. A totalizator system according to claim 9. wherein the ticketissuing machine further comprises means to convert a selection made atsaid keyboard into binary code signals and means to generate a paritycheck signal which is transmitted with the binary code signals; andwherein the checking means of the central equipment has a paritychecking circuit for operating the invalidating circuit of the ticketissuing machine if the binary code signals and parity check signal arenot compatible and for transmitting the binary code signals to therecording circuit if the binary code and parity check signals arecompatible.

ll. A totalizator system according to claim [I], wherein the means toconvert a selection into binary code signals comprises a diode matrixwhose inputs are connected to the keyboard of the ticket issuing machineand whose outputs are connected to the control means to connectalternately the first leg lines and the second leg lines; and whereinthe means to generate a parity check signal comprises a diode matrixwhose inputs are connected to the keyboard of the ticket issuing machineand whose output is connected to the control means to connectalternately the first leg lines and the second leg lines to form a linetherein; constructed so that when a selection is converted into binarycode signals on an even number of matrix output lines. the parity checkcircuit matrix generates an output signal; and when a made selection iscon vetted into binary code signal on an odd number of matrix outputlines. the parity check circuit matrix does not generate an outputsignal.

12. A totalizator system according to claim 11, wherein the parity checkcircuit comprises a plurality of relays with solenoids, the solenoid ofa relay being connected in series with the first and second leg linesrespectively, each relay having two changeover switches. the twochangeover switches of the relays connected to the same leg line andbeing connected in parallel with noncorresponding contacts of the twochangeover switches being connected together and the two changeoverswitches of the relays of the same leg lines with corresponding contactsof adjacent two changeover switches being connected in series. a pair offirst relays having their solenoids connected in parallel with a firstsource of electric potential and connected in series with correspondingchangeover switches of the series connected changeover switches of therelays connected to the first leg lines and connected to a second sourceof electric potential. one of the pair of first relays having a normallyopen switch connected by a line to the invalidating circuit of theticket issuing machine, the other of the pair of first relays having anormally open switch connected by a line to the recording circuits ofthe central equipment. a pair of second relays having their solenoidsconnected in parallel with the first source of electric potential andconnected in series through the corresponding changeover switches of theseries with corresponding series-connected changeover switches connectedto the second leg lines to a second source of electric potential, one ofthe pair of second relays having a normally open switch connected inparallel with the other normally open switch connected to the line tothe invalidating circuit of the ticket issuing machine. the other of thepair of second relays having a normally open switch connected in serieswith the other normally open switch connected to the line to therecording circuit of the central equipment; whereby. when the paritycheck signal in the first and second leg lines is compatible with thecorresponding binary code signals, the contacts of an odd number of theseries-com nected changeover switches are changed to make a circuitwhich operates the one relays of the first and second relays to closethe corresponding switches so to make a circuit to permit transmissionof the binary code signals to the recording circuit of the centralequipment; and whereby. when a parity check signal and the correspondingbinary code signals in at least one leg line are not compatible thecontacts of an even number of the series-connected changeover switchesconnected to the corresponding leg line are changed to make a circuitwhich operates the corresponding other relay of the pairs of relays toclose the corresponding switch so as to make a circuit to transmit asignal to the invalidating circuit of the ticket issuing machine.

1. A totalizator system including central equipment and a plurality of ticket issuing machines each comprising a keyboard, a printing device operable under the control of the keyboard with a mechanism to print on a ticket details of two selections made, ticket issuing means to issue the printed ticket, means storing the first selection of the bet at the ticket issuing machine, means to call said central equipment in response to completion of said two selections, means to transmit details of first and second selections of a bet made from said keyboard to the central equipment at one time as a combined two bet combination signal when the central equipment is available, and means to delay completion of the printing of the second bet on the ticket until said combination signal has been processed by said central equipment.
 2. A totalizator system as defined in claim 1 including indicating means controllable by said central equipment to indicate to the ticket issuing machine that an invalid first or second selection has been transmitted to and rejected by the central equipment, means controlled by the indicating means to allow the operation of the printing mechanism to issue an invalid ticket printed with an invalid first selection, means to operate the printing mechanism to print the second selection onto the ticket if the first and second selections transmitted to the central equipment are valid, and means to issue the ticket printed with the first and second selections when the second selection is printed thereon.
 3. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 1, wherein the ticket issuing machine comprises first leg lines from the storage means for transmission of the stored first selection to the central equipment and second leg lines for transmission of the second selection to the central equipment from said keyboard.
 4. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 3, wherein the ticket issuing machine further comprises control means to connect alternately the first leg lines to the storage means for transmission of the stored first selection and the second leg lines to the keyboard for transmission of the second selection.
 5. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 4, wherein the ticket issuing machine further comprises means to convert a selection at said keyboard into binary code signals and means to generate a parity check signal which is transmitted with the binary code signals to the central equipment.
 6. A ticket issuing machine according to claim 5, wherein the converting means comprises a diode matrix, and wherein the generating means comprises a diode matrix.
 7. A totalizator system of the type wherein a central equipment is connected with a plurality of ticket issuing machines, wherein each ticket issuing machine has a keyboard to make a selection from a plurality of selections, a printing mechanism for printing onto a ticket a first selection, means for storing the first selection, means to indicate to the central equipment that a first selection and a second selection have been made, means operable by the central equipment to transmit the first selection and the second selection thereto, indicating means controllable by the central equipment to indicate to the ticket issuing machine that an invalid first selection or second selection has been transmitted to and rejected by the central equipment, means controlled by the indicating means to allow the operation of the printing mechanism to issue an invalid ticket printed with an invalid first selection, means to operate the printing mechanism to print the second selection onto the ticket if the first and second selections transmitted to the central equipment are valid and means to issue the ticket printed with the first and second selections, when the second selection has been printed thereon; and wherein the central equipment has means to scan sequentially the ticket issuing machines for indication that a first and second selection has been made, means to receive an indicated made selection from a scanned one of said ticket issuing machine means to check the made selection transmitted from the scanned ticket issuing machine and to operate the indicating means of the scanned ticket issuing machine if an invalid selection has been transmitted, means to record details of a valid first selection and second selection and means to operate the printing mechanism of the scanned ticket issuing machine and to issue a ticket with the first and second selections printed thereon, when the recording means has recorded details of the first and second selections.
 8. A totalizator system according to claim 7, wherein the ticket issuing machine further comprises first leg lines associated with the storage means for transmission of the stored first selection to the central equipment and second leg lines for transmission of the second selection to the central equipment.
 9. A totalizator system according to claim 8, wherein the ticket issuing machine further comprises control means to connect alternately the first leg lines to the storage means for transmission of the stored first selection and the second leg lines to the keyboard for transmission of the second selection.
 10. A totalizator system according to claim 9, wherein the ticket issuing machine further comprises means to convert a selection made at said keyboard into binary code signals and means to generate a parity check signal which is transmitted with the binary code signals; and wherein the checking means of the central equipment has a parity checking circuit for operating the invalidating circuit of the ticket issuing machine if the binary code signals and parity check signal are not compatible and for transmitting the binary code signals to the recording circuit if the binary code and parity check signals are compatible.
 11. A totalizator system according to claim 10, wherein the means to convert a selection into binary code signals comprises a diode matrix whose inputs are connected to the keyboard of the ticket issuing machine and whose outputs are connected to the control means to connect alternately the first leg lines and the second leg lines; and wherein the means to generate a parity check signal comprises a diode matrix whose inputs are connected to the keyboard of the ticket issuing machine and whose output is connected to the control means to connect alternately the first leg lines and the second leg lines to form a line therein; constructed so that when a selection is converted into binary code signals on an even number of matrix output lines, the parity check circuit matrix generates an output signal; and when a made selection is converted into binary code signal on an odd number of matrix output lines, the parity check circuit matrix does not generate an output signal.
 12. A totalizator system according to claim 11, wherein the parity check circuit comprises a plurality of relays with solenoids, the solenoid of a relay being connected in series with the first and second leg lines respectively, each relay hAving two changeover switches, the two changeover switches of the relays connected to the same leg line and being connected in parallel with noncorresponding contacts of the two changeover switches being connected together and the two changeover switches of the relays of the same leg lines with corresponding contacts of adjacent two changeover switches being connected in series, a pair of first relays having their solenoids connected in parallel with a first source of electric potential and connected in series with corresponding changeover switches of the series connected changeover switches of the relays connected to the first leg lines and connected to a second source of electric potential, one of the pair of first relays having a normally open switch connected by a line to the invalidating circuit of the ticket issuing machine, the other of the pair of first relays having a normally open switch connected by a line to the recording circuits of the central equipment, a pair of second relays having their solenoids connected in parallel with the first source of electric potential and connected in series through the corresponding changeover switches of the series with corresponding series-connected changeover switches connected to the second leg lines to a second source of electric potential, one of the pair of second relays having a normally open switch connected in parallel with the other normally open switch connected to the line to the invalidating circuit of the ticket issuing machine, the other of the pair of second relays having a normally open switch connected in series with the other normally open switch connected to the line to the recording circuit of the central equipment; whereby, when the parity check signal in the first and second leg lines is compatible with the corresponding binary code signals, the contacts of an odd number of the series-connected changeover switches are changed to make a circuit which operates the one relays of the first and second relays to close the corresponding switches so to make a circuit to permit transmission of the binary code signals to the recording circuit of the central equipment; and whereby, when a parity check signal and the corresponding binary code signals in at least one leg line are not compatible the contacts of an even number of the series-connected changeover switches connected to the corresponding leg line are changed to make a circuit which operates the corresponding other relay of the pairs of relays to close the corresponding switch so as to make a circuit to transmit a signal to the invalidating circuit of the ticket issuing machine. 